Pastor's Corner - "The Healing Story of Bartimaeus"

The healing story of Bartimaeus is the last healing miracle that Jesus performed in the Gospel of Mark. It is found in the section of the Gospel that deals with the question of Christian discipleship. The section in Mark’s gospel that deals directly with discipleship starts at Mark 8:22-26, which is the story of the healing of a blind man of Bethsaida and wraps up or closes with another story of a blind man, the healing of Bartimaeus, our gospel this Sunday. In between these two healing stories were the three episodes where the disciples were presented as blind to the meaning of the mission of Jesus and to their own call of discipleship. The disciples, including Peter, who have been taught by and lived with Jesus were blind on why Jesus had to suffer and die. Yet Bartimaeus, who was physically blind and was considered to be a nobody in the community because of his disability, could clearly see the identity of Jesus when he shouted “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The title Son of David denotes Jesus’ Messiahship — he is the one whom Israel awaited as a Redeemer. Bartimaeus sought that his physical sight be restored though, ironically, he already sees better than any of the characters in the story. He has a strong faith compared to the disciples who are portrayed as not having faith.

Reflecting on this story, we realize that spiritual blindness can happen even if consciously we know that we are following the Lord. We saw that with the disciples. The disciples, sincere as they were in following Jesus, were blinded by their own biases, by their own personal agendas like sitting at the left or right of Jesus in heaven, and also by feeling privileged of being closely associated with Christ. They even become a stumbling block for Bartimaeus to approach Jesus. The gospel text mentioned that they rebuked
Bartimaeus when he started shouting and calling out the name of Jesus. They became a hindrance for this poor blind man to approach Christ and experience healing. There are also instances in our own journey of faith when we might have become a stumbling block for others in order for them to experience the love and mercy of Christ. Anytime we judge others based on what we see from the outside, based on their frailties and weaknesses, and regard them as unworthy or less worthy to be part of our faith community, then we become like those disciples who rebuked Bartimaues to keep silent. The Lord does not want us to reject and rebuke anyone because they have failed our standards. This does not mean, though, that we tolerate what is wrong and what is evil. But rather, we are to provide an atmosphere where each of us can freely approach Jesus by being who we are, and thus be transformed to what God has intended us to be. This is especially true among families — children must have that confidence to freely ask their parents about the things that confuse or bother them, to assure them that it is alright to be confused and not have all the answers right away. But if fear and intimidation reign in homes and families, and an outright rebuke is what the children get when they present a problem, then we create an atmosphere of mistrust. This is also applicable to any kind of relationship. Relationships are sustained and nurtured by constant, honest and sincere communication. What the disciples did in the Gospel story was to cut off Bartimaues from
communicating to Jesus. Yet Jesus did not allow it to happen. Jesus stopped and said “Call him.” It is an imperative statement, a command that signifies serious attention. Bartimaues, the gospel described to us, “threw aside his cloak and sprung up to Jesus.” There is that element of haste, of rush, and the throwing/removing of his cloak which enveloped or wrapped him for years as a beggar signifying the new freedom and liberation that he is about to receive from Jesus. Unlike Bartimaues, we do not have to call out to God in order for him to see and recognize us — he comes to us in the most special way, especially in this Eucharist. He does not just come to us, waiting on the outside, but rather makes his home with us as we receive him in Holy Communion — thus we become what we eat in this Eucharist.

We were told in the Gospel that right after he was healed, Bartimaeus followed Jesus. The story of this beggar is a wonderful progression of Christian discipleship. He started calling out to Jesus with a need; then after receiving what he needed he could have left Jesus and walked way – yet from his need – he went on to gratitude- and from gratitude to faithfulness, to following the Lord. Who are those Bartimaeuses in our lives right now that we can help to see, to come and approach to Jesus? And what are those things that continue to blind us, those things that continue to hinder us, to see God’s presence in our lives and in other people?